Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Opening with Candrakīrti’s verse on how the ego generates both attachment and hatred, Geshe Pema Tsering traces the chain from self-grasping through karma to samsaric rebirth in this 44-minute Lamrim session. He then introduces the antidote: when the “I” we cling to is actually analyzed, it cannot be found and exists only at the nominal level — and realizing this emptiness requires accumulating vast merit through rejoicing in others’ virtue and dedicating it to all beings, with Milarepa cited as the model of sustained effort. The second half turns to the precious human rebirth valued under three headings — temporary, ultimate, and moment-by-moment — covering how ethics, generosity, and patience build future happiness, and closing on renunciation: using alcohol and gold as concrete illustrations of how saṃsāra’s apparent pleasures are, on close examination, almost entirely fault.
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File: 03 LR 2002 03 12.mp3
UUID: 18d395ca-ea3a-48ab-979e-23541fa33e67
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim 2002 Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-03-12
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.3 minutes
Words: ~3,387
Quoting the line teaching from the master Candrakīrti, As he in his teachings, he said that in few lines saying pinpointing out saying that this ego or the I that that we all have, we are very much attached to it. And and because of our ego, we get attached to to all things that we do. So so then because of this ego and the self or the I that we have we tend to have very strongly connected to that. That then what it brings forth is that things that belongs to us, saying that this is mine, and everything anything that is out there that belongs to you say, this is mine. And similar to that, that’s my parents, mom, dad, and so on.
So we have that grasping towards those objects. So so the I that starts at the very beginning, and that that is similar to that of saying mind, that that the I and the mind has same meanings. So when when we have that strong I or the the ego, and that that that is similar as the meaning of self belongs to us or in a way saying mind. And when we when that that mind, everything that belongs to you, say, it is mine. This this belongs to me, like, such as the things, this is my parents or my friends and so on.
Now what it brings up with that mind or belongs to me is the attachment towards those objects or or any or the beings or whatever. And attachment towards those that you like. And then the other other side on the other hand, then it also that because of that I or mind creates this hatred towards those things or the beings that you don’t like. So so the ego or the the self or the mind, I, brings about these two, the attachment and the hatred or the hatred towards others. So so now these two, the attachment and hatred.
The attachment towards the things we like and the people we like, what happens is because of our attachment towards them, we come to create karmas. We we have good karmas or bad karmas. We come to create these karmas out of our attachment. And and similarly, in the other hand, with those objects of beings that we hate, we again the hatred causes us to create karmas. And those karmas are most negative karmas that we come to create.
And and and those are the karmas that we have created is the cause that that that makes us circle in saṃsāra. So so out of this attachment and hatred, we create we come to create karmas. And karmas are generally like three different kinds, virtuous karma, non virtuous or negative karma, and indifferent or between ones. So so then with the virtuous karma, we create the cause to be reborn in the higher rebirth, such as human and god. And with the non virtuous karma, we create the cause to be reborn in in the lower realms, such as animals and so on.
So so these are the, like, karmas that we have created, causes us to circle in saṃsāra. Now now what we need what we need for us to free from this cycle of exist existing is we need to know the wisdom realizing selflessness. So so so so to do that, first, how what you do is you have to know the suffering or the situation in saṃsāra and get this understanding that you don’t like being in there, the dislike towards saṃsāra. You have to have that first. So so we are in saṃsāra, and what causes us to be in saṃsāra is, as it says before, the karma and the delusions.
That is what causing us to be circle in saṃsāra all the time. And when we come to cease these two, then that’s why we we are out of saṃsāra or we achieve liberation. So so how we get out of saṃsāra is the very beginning is to see the fault of saṃsāra and wanting to get out of that. And final final thing is to realize to have the, what do call, wisdom realizing is the selflessness. The wisdom realizing the selflessness.
To have that wisdom, to be completely free from saṃsāra. So with the understanding of this selflessness, there is again two two types of selflessness. This is one, the selflessness of the person, and the second, the selflessness of phenomena. So of these two selflessness, we first need to come to realize the selflessness of the person. So to now first to to come to know the selflessness of the person, now as I explained in the very beginning, we have come to we have to know now the self.
That self we talked about, mind or the self. That self we have to recognize first. So that self or the I that we have to come to recognize first, and that I or the self is within us. Somehow, we we have we we feel that it is within us somehow, something very solid and within, like, there, like yourself self existing there. So it seems to us that that self or the I existing there very solidly within us.
But then when we analyze it, when we examine it, where is it, then you won’t be able to find it. You won’t you’ll hear you we won’t be able to find it. Nice. So that very proud eye that we think very strongly that we we seem to have, when we analyze it, we didn’t only look inside and search it search for it, and it’s not existing there. Doesn’t exist.
So that if that really exists as we as it seems to us that it is it is existing, then we should be able to find when you when we analyze it, when we examine it. But but it doesn’t it doesn’t we we won’t be able to find it. It doesn’t exist. So so that I or the self actually doesn’t exist there as solidly as we think. But why seems to us that it exists there and why is because we label it something and and and then we label something this, that, such and such with different names.
And that seems to exist from their their one side. So that self or the I, when you analyze it, when you come to to this conclusion that it doesn’t exist there by itself, and getting getting this other this sad understanding that it is just the mere level mere level. And when you come to understand that, then then what do you call? So when you come to when you come to that point that it’s a it is not there by itself solidly, that self or the eye, and and and understanding that it’s just mere level, that I. When you come to, like, understand or, like, sharp understanding of this within you within you, then you’re you’re getting the idea, what I’m gonna say, coming to understand the emptiness or the selflessness.
So in in order to have this realization that it is that I or the self doesn’t exist from there by itself as solidly as we think, and and to to also know that it’s just mere level. It exists just in mere level. To really get the realization of that, you have to actually you have to one has to accumulate great amount of merit to really have a insight into that. So so so we have to accumulate a great amount of merit to be able to have that kind of insight. So as an example, we should take the example of great Yogi Milarepa, how much work he put into understanding that.
So we should be following him. So we won’t be able to do what Milarepa did. And on the other hand, we don’t have time like Milarepa did. So so then but we we do as much as we can in a way accumulating virtue and doing different things, such as we rejoice in others’ virtue and accumulate merit and and meditate on bodhicitta. These are what what what is known as accumulating merit.
So this practice of rejoicing the virtue of others or one small virtue, it’s it’s very easy to do it. And whatever virtue you have accumulated, you rejoice in it and and and dedicate that merit to make to the virtue or whatever virtue that I accumulated. You dedicate that virtue to dedicate that merit to towards all other sentient beings. May all other sentient beings achieve Buddhahood quickly as soon as possible like that. And and also thinking or visualizing all the virtue that that has been accumulated by all the Buddhas of the three times and all other sentient beings.
You you visualize that virtue and rejoice in their virtue and dedicate that merit. Then if you’re able to do that, it’s really very good. So so, like, the virtue that the Buddhas have accumulated, all that virtue can rejoice in their virtue. And the bodhisattvas, the the ārya beings known as the arhats and and yourself, all the virtue that you have accumulated and the others around. Dedicate all the virtue and and may through the power of this virtue, all things being achieved, enlightenment quickly, as soon as possible like that way, you you you visualize and concentrate on that and do short meditation on that.
[After meditation] So last teaching, Geshe-la completed explaining the recognizing this precious human body. And and next part now today is So tonight, Geshe-la is explaining how the value of having this humanly birth or precious human rebirth or the yeah.
It is explained under three three headings. So it’s on the it is explained under three headings, which is its value in in temporal temporarily, how it is how it’s valuable, and and ultimately, how it is how it is that valuable, and and every moment, how how valuable it is if we do use it. So in in these three headings, it explains. So the the value of it in in in temporary sense is that all temporal happiness of this very life can be can be achieved through this precious human not only that, but if you I mean, if you’re to think about the future lives, this this very precious this very rebirth that we have can create the cause for us to have a higher rebirth in our next life, such as to have another precious human body in our next life, also to have a state of the highest state, such as the god’s state. If you wanted, then you can this precious human body can create a cause for that.
So so if we want precious human rebirth again in our next life, then the main cause for that as as a root cause is to to keep pure ethics or moral disciplines. That is the main cause for next human So so any every commitments or the precepts that you take, any any vows or vows, like, such as lay vows or refuge vows and the the ten nonvirtuous acts, the vows to not to commit the ten nonvirtuous acts. These if you are able to keep it pure, these commitments, then they become the cause for for for this precious human rebirth in our next life. So so then on the basis of this human rebirth, like if we want a wealthy life in our next life, then we can also create the cause on the basis of this precious human life. And what we can what we do is we have to practice generosity.
And and practicing generosity is a cause for our our wealth in our future. So so then and then further up, if you want a good surroundings near future life or as a like yourself, have a, like, good physical appearance, have a, like, beautiful or or you want a good surrounding around you, then what you have it it can be done also on the basis of this precious human life and how is through practicing patience, or. Or tolerance. If you practice that on the basis of on on on the on this human life, then you’ll be able to get these these good surroundings in your future life. So on the basis of this precious human life, you can also achieve, if you want, create the cause to be reborn as very powerful gods, such as the Brahma and those other powerful gods as you wish in in your So similar that on the basis of this precious human life, you can also achieve, if you wish, to be reborn in pure lands or and so on, like any any pure lands that you wish to be reborn through through sending your pure prayers, that is the cause for getting reborn there, like sending your pure prayers or the known as aspirational prayers.
You send it, and then that causes us to be reborn in those those pure lands. So I was just to explain a short story in the teachings relating to the teachings that there is a master known as Lha-lung Lama. He said that you go into a retreat leaving everything behind and even not taking your own cup or whatever bowl for eating food. Just leave everything behind and go to an isolated place and do a retreat, a solitary retreat. So he went to a retreat and did a solitary retreat, and he did this prayer to be reborn in Shambhala, the Pure Land. And then one day, he saw another master and requested, asked the master whether my prayers would be successful or not, whether I would be reborn in those places or not.
And the lama, the master said, how do you call it? You, it’s too much to ask for what you are asking, but it’s good that you are doing it. That was the reply in that sense. This one. So so on the basis of this human rebirth, what you’re saying is everything is possible if you do it.
But so on the for us to like hoping for something big, it is possible on the basis of this human life. So it has great value as the like temper in a in a temporary sense. Temporarily, it has great value because all the temporary happiness or wishes that we want can be achieved on the basis of this precious human rebirth. So now go to the next part, which is its value in the sense, like, what is known as the ultimate ultimate value of this precious So so we we on the basis of this human rebirth, we can also achieve the ultimate goal. So as if you think about these different state of liberations, the liberation of Hearers, the liberation of Pratyekabuddhas, or the liberation of the Mahāyāna path.
All these three ultimately can all this type of liberation can be achieved on the basis of this precious human birth. Possible to achieve this what do you call all the all the state of liberation on the basis of this human rebirth is that on the basis of this human rebirth, we can practice the the three higher trainings known as the training on, excuse me, the morality, the training on the training on concentration, the training on wisdom, known as the three higher training can be can be practiced or can be contemplated on the basis of this precious. Mhmm. Yeah? So if you if you practice the three higher trainings, then then that that leads one or that that leads one to be able to achieve a liberation.
So we also need to know that the the three different trainings can be understood as three different training. The training on wisdom, morality, and concentration. But then if it is if that training if that practice is conjoined with with the refuge practice, then it is known as the higher trainings. So so it becomes a stronger cause for this liberation. So have the practice being conjoined with the practice of refuge is very important.
So it is very important to conjoin this practice with the refuge because if only if it is conjoined with the practice of refuge, it becomes the cause of liberation and the full enlightened state. If it is not conjoined with the practice of refuge, then it just it doesn’t become the cause for liberation and full enlightenment, but it it does give a result, its particular result only. So so because of that, it’s very important to have a pure refuge practice with these practices. So so to to train on one of the morality, the training on morality, just to just to what are the moralities and then the different types of vows that you train on. Like vows on individual liberation, there are different types of vows.
So and before you do these, you take these vows, you you have to you have to have the you have to generate this thought of renunciation towards saṃsāra, renouncing saṃsāra. Then on the basis of that, then you take the vows and then you you then on on that basis, you develop, you know, your mind. So renunciation is that what is renunciation? Renunciation is that renouncing saṃsāra, like renouncing it like like it be it’s being a poison or something. In that way, you you don’t want to be in there.
Having that thought and wanting, and then having that wish to achieve liberation. That too has to come together and that’s what is known as renunciation. So you have to actually see saṃsāra and its contents, whatever, within being a poison. In the sense that it’s all have the nature of suffering. So for us, most of the things in saṃsāra is something pleasurable, good.
And and and because we see that, we strive towards that. We want that and we we work for it. If we to see the folds of saṃsāra, the cycle existing, and and train yourself on that, like analyze and check it, then there is there is a point where you come to realize actually there’s nothing good about it. They come to have a little realizations. So for example, I’ll just give a small example like like drinking alcohol.
Some some some of us, we enjoy drinking alcohol, and it is delicious. It tastes good. And and when we get drunk, we enjoy it. And that’s what we experience. And and not only that out of getting drunk, we come to do many bad things or to commit crimes or so on, then also we know that it will it leads towards this kind of action.
So so in this way, if you analyze like small things like that or just for example as a drinking, there’s nothing good about it. Very if there is, he is guessing, might be very tiny. Good thing about drinking. But most of it is faults, you see, after drinking. So maybe it might be the tiny good about drinking.
That tiny little bit we seem to think that tiny little one which we we seem to broaden it and see it as this very big good thing about drinking, and we we we drink a lot. So so so then in that way, like, though there’s nothing good about drinking, we seem to think it is good and we drink and we do things. And similar to that, all other saṃsāra things are same. We do it there’s nothing good about it if we really analyze in the deep, but we we we seem to think there is something good about it and we do it. So for example, as a wealth, if we have like, a piece of gold with us, because gold is regarded very valuable, very precious.
If we have a whole piece of it, we regard it as something very good and worth it. So we so because it’s being gold, we really take care of it, and we really look after it.